Punjab, which is the most populous province of Pakistan and is a center of power because of colossal representation in military, bureaucracy, judiciary and security agencies is accused by critics, of denying other provinces their legitimate share and seeking dominance in the policy making apparatus. By referring to Punjab’s hold over power since the inception of Pakistan till today, it means the populous and prosperous region of central Punjab because of the marginalization of its southern Saraiki belt which wants to seek provincial status but is denied by Lahore. What the Chief Minister of Punjab said the other day that the neighbors of Pakistan are not causing harm but it is Baluchistan and KPK which hurts Punjab is a serious allegation. According to critics Punjab’s reputation as an exploiter and manipulator extends to all the three provinces of Pakistan, Bangladesh (former East Pakistan) and Afghanistan. One can agree or disagree with growing assertion and chauvinism of Punjab and its attempt to prevent dividing the province into various administrative units reflects that the central region of Punjab wants to hold on to power by all means.

Why Punjab is blamed for its exploitation, manipulation, grabbing of more and more power, resources and being involved in usurping the rights of smaller provinces needs to be objectively analyzed with critical thinking. If federal planning minister who hails from central Punjab says that “we are sitting over 7 trillion dollars of mineral resources in Baluchistan” reflects Punjab’s exploitive and manipulative approach. Consequently, Baluch nationalists target Punjabi settlers and security forces deployed in Baluchistan.

However, It will be unfair to just blame Punjab for the ills of smaller provinces like Baluchistan, KPK and Sindh but the reality on the ground proves something else. After the erosion of Mohajir domination over Pakistan’s power structure in the country’s formative phase, shifting of federal capital from Karachi to Rawalpindi and then to Islamabad and the formation of one-unit in 1955 by dismantling four provinces of West Pakistan with as its capital in Lahore, sense of deprivation not only accentuated in the then East Pakistan but also in Baluchistan, KPK and Sindh.

The disintegration of Pakistan and the emergence of........

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